Apartment 14

Hello blogging world! We are apartment 14, and we'd like to share our ideal, dream lives with you.

Jessica will marry Spock, live on the moon, and write novels about being married to a half-alien. She and Spok will operate a Starship and live happily ever after with 7 little Spoklings.

Andrea will marry Ryan Reynolds and live on the border of Oregon and Washington in a cozy cottage where they can hike, swim, and explore together. Her vehicle of choice is a fast red convertible so the wind can blow in her hair when the top is down. She'll be the owner of a children's performing arts studio where kids will learn to love God, life, and music. Her pride will come from mothering 4 adopted and 4 biological children.

Ke'ala and her husband, Jason Mraz, will live in a Hobbit house in Africa where she can wear flowy dresses and no shoes. She'll be a social worker/leader of a humanitarian organization that will spread love, medicine, good food, happy thoughts, and more love to the world...and teach people to love the earth. We, her roommates, will graffiti and donate a hybrid hippy bus for her to drive around in if she ever needs it. She'll be the mother of 4 biological kids and 2 adopted kids so everyone has a buddy when they go to Disneyland.

Brooke will marry Tim Tebow. They'll live on a big ranch house in Texas with horses, close enough to the city so she can still go shopping. They'll have 5 boys that like to play in the mud, wrestle, play football, and never grow up. Brooke will be a part-time school teacher, part-time Super model, and drive a lifted red Jeep Wrangler.

Analee is going to marry Josh Duhamel...after he leaves Fergie, of course. They'll live just outside Sydney, Australia in a treehouse overlooking the ocean. Her 4 boys and 1 girl will all be cute skateboarder babies. She'll be a surfer/fashion designer and drive around the island in a turquoise Twinkie Volkswagon van.

Miriam will marry Thor and turn him into a cowboy. They'll live on a big farm with lots of pigs in a giant farmhouse that she'll restore into a beautiful mansion. They'll have 3 boys and 2 girls, some of which will be adopted. She'll be the owner of a hair salon and a black F-350 Super Duty. And her husband will carry her everywhere she wants to go.

In case you are wondering, it was our apartment's turn to introduce ourselves to the apartment complex and we wanted to do it in a fun and creative way. We had such a great time laughing, imagining and dreaming! I just had to share the joy with y'all!

Shopping Day

I've been experiencing some serious shopping withdrawals lately but thank goodness Miriam had a birthday so I was able to go to the mall to purchase her present!! It was a glorious and splendid treatment.
I'm sorry if this exposes too much personal information, but I LOVE VICTORIA'S SECRET! Their stuff is the best in the market, and you feel fabulous wearing it. Analee and I spent a good two hours in that store alone. We both walked out feeling more girly and beautiful than ever. Victoria's Secret is the best place to go for a "pick-me-up." I was already feeling great that day, but shopping there boosted my spirits through the atmosphere and into space! To women everywhere, I encourage you to treat yourself to a Victoria's Secret shopping spree because you deserve to feel like the sexy woman you are. And don't let those airbrushed super models plastered on the walls make you feel any less drop-dead-gorgeous.
Analee and I only made it to one other store before we had to go home, where I found this ridiculously gold and sparkly dress. The things people wear these days are fascinating to me; I couldn't resist taking a picture of it. In defense of those who would buy this dress, I think it could sorta be cute with the right accessories, and a classy demeanor.
Shopping rocks :) 




Update on my trip to Tucson this past weekend is in the works...

squeal squeal squeal

DAAAHHHHHHH I'm so HAPPY!
I'll be in VEGAS, BABY in nine days! Waahoooo! I am stoked! The company I'm working for is taking us all on a pre-season sales trip, so it's going to require a lot of work, but don't you doubt that I'll fit in as much pleasure as I can!
My SAT scores are in! I ended up earning a much higher score than expected! 3 cheers for answered prayers!
Our apartment is sparkling clean! Ahhhh :) And I replaced all of the old yellow light bulbs with bright white beaming energy efficient ones! I LOVE light!
Yesterday, I ate the sweetest, most delicious red grapefruit my tongue has ever tasted. My mouth is watering from the memory. It reminded me of home<3 and our robust grapefruit tree. Then, I ate carrot chips, which also reminded me of home<3 and of yanking carrots out of the dry dirt garden my dad built along side of the house. Home-grown carrots are a thousand times better than store bought ones, btw.
All of this nostalgia made me even more THRILLED to be going HOME this weekend! Oh Sonoran dessert, how I've missed your warmth and soft beauty.
My plans for today consist of eating, exercising, and packing for our ROADTRIP!! We'll (I'm going with one friend and three strangers) be in Tucson early tomorrow morning :D and soon after that, I'll be playing with the most adorable boys in the world!
This Valentine's day was filled with love, service, and delight; what a sweet change from V-days past.
Yesterday was my last day working for All Purpose Cleaners! I AM FREEEEE! "free fallin, fallin....now I'm frrEeEeEeE free fallin, fallin" (I love ya, John Mayer) No more allergies, no more asthma attacks, no more beer spillage on my hands, no more hard-labor for little pay, no more reek of cleaning chemicals in my car. I am DONE.
I can comfortably wear shorts and short sleeves in 45 degree weather. Yesss. Our body's ability to change and adapt is phenomenal.
I ate pizza for two dinners this week. When you no longer have money for things like take-out or pedicures, pizza becomes a delicacy. Ohhh YUM.
I studied Alma chapters 40-42 in the Book of Mormon for Institute last night. TALK ABOUT POWER! I love the doctrines found in these chapters. If the English language had a stronger word than love to describe my feelings about those doctrines, I would use it. So, you might be thinking "what exactly are these things Andrea is talking about?" great question! So this guy named Alma, who was an ancient prophet, is talking to his son Corianton about the most incredible aspects of Heavenly Father's plan for His children.. Namely, the RESURRECTION, FALL OF ADAM, and the ATONEMENT. WOO! I get so pumped thinking about these things! Mostly because these truths bring peace to my soul. I know that in fact, "the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, are taken home to that God who gave them life." Alma 40:11 We will all see God again!!! It's so wonderful to know that because of Jesus Christ, my spirit and body will be reunited forever and I will never again have to experience pain and suffering. I also know that because I will see my Maker again, I must try and work and labor with all my soul to be worthy of His glory.   I love contemplating the infinite LOVE of our Father in Heaven. My mind is blown.
LIFE IS SO FUN!

1:11 am

Make a wish!....just kidding. I don't do that silly stuff.
I'm tired but I can't sleep. But I'm living what could either be considered a dream or a nightmare...I'm acting exactly like my dad! Two of my roommates still aren't home and I can't go to bed until I know they're safe in their beds. Oh geez, it has already started...I'm turning into my parents!!!!! My dad used to do the same thing when we were kids, and it would make me feel so guilty to come home a few minutes past curfew to a very sleepy and concerned father. Apparently my kids are going to experience the same thing.
I also can't sleep because I had a fantastic evening and I can't seem to force myself to calm down. I really, really love my life sometimes.

Check it.

I'm almost famous

Can we be REAL?

February 17th is my last day working for All Purpose Cleaners!!! WOOOO HOOOOOO! Farewell to being taken advantage of! I can endure these last couple weeks because the end is in sight! Ahhh yes, I am so relieved.
Some thoughts I've been pondering recently: No one is honest about how difficult life really is. I wonder why? (I have my theories) No one warns you that you'll never live the life you have planned. I'm grateful for the life I have, but every day I struggle to let go of dreams not realized. Part of me needs to learn how to find joy in the mundane, and another part of me doesn't want to settle for mediocrity. "They" say that people will disappoint you, but "they" never say that the person who will disappoint you the most is yourself. Multiple times each day I have to forgive myself for being less than my best self. Frequently I become upset and frustrated because my efforts are never enough. I am imperfect, flawed, hypocritical, prideful, impatient, judgmental, insecure, scared, ashamed, lazy, pessimistic, and so impeccably human. Let's be honest with ourselves, none of us are as put-together as we look on the outside.You rarely come across a person who is willing to cut the act and be vulnerable. How often do you come across a person who says "Hi, I'm John and I'm an alcoholic" unless you're at an AA meeting. Life messes us up, all of us. No one is immune from sin, grief, pain, death, addiction, loss, sorrow, loneliness, failure, fear, and temptation. So why don't we admit to these things? Why do we as humans work so fiercely to protect our pathetic fragile egos? I'm disgusted by the walls of steel we, myself included, build around our hearts, souls, and insecurities. Instead of being honest, we blame and compare. Instead of being genuine, we dress ourselves in layers of facades. At the core of love, fulfillment, and meaningful relationships is vulnerability. And so, we do ourselves a serious misfortune by not being vulnerable.
To my children, I'm proud to say that I am desperately and infinitely in need of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and you are too. Regardless of what we do, it is by the grace of God that we can live with our Father in Heaven again. And that's a beautiful thing.